Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Maharagama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Budapest and in Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,647 per month in Budapest vs $131 in Maharagama, rent included.

Budapest $1,647
Maharagama $131

A couple spends around $2,567 per month in Budapest vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

Budapest $2,567
Maharagama $246

A family of three spends $3,488 per month in Budapest vs $361 in Maharagama, rent included.

Budapest $3,488
Maharagama $361

Budapest costs about 1160% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 Ft 4,419

$5.30 LKR 1,761

157.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 Ft 19.7K

$20.24 LKR 6,731

199.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 Ft 3,248

$6.67 LKR 2,219

50.22%

Cappuccino

$3.33 Ft 1,078

$2.11 LKR 702

57.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 Ft 686

$0.64 LKR 213

231.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 Ft 583

$0.29 LKR 95.2

520.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Ft 1,169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Ft 1,163

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 362

$0.87 LKR 288

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 Ft 624

$0.23 LKR 76.0

739.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 806

$0.50 LKR 167

398.00%

Eggs

$3.94 Ft 1,278

$1.42 LKR 473

177.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 Ft 3,656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 Ft 2,183

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 Ft 4,682

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 603

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 660

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Ft 742

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 Ft 1,294

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 Ft 305

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 331

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 Ft 536

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 221

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 Ft 2,533

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 Ft 1,952

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 419

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 Ft 656

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 485

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 Ft 8,792

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 Ft 1,088

$0.44 LKR 146

663.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 445

$0.46 LKR 154

197.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 Ft 6,468

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 Ft 604

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$178 Ft 57.8K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.58 Ft 7,643

$4.55 LKR 1,513

418.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Ft 7,817

$13.38 LKR 4,449

80.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 Ft 22.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 Ft 5,520

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 Ft 3,397

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$625 Ft 202.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 Ft 33.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 Ft 14.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 39.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 Ft 274.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 206.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 Ft 521.5K

$198 LKR 65.9K

711.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 Ft 394.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 Ft 559.0K

$240 LKR 79.7K

619.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$638 38.8%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$260 15.8%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$226 13.7%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$220 13.4%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.3%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$91 5.5%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.6%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Budapest are about 7.2 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Budapest versus $20 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $19 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

04:30 4:30 AM

09:00 9:00 AM

4 h 30 min ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

196,400

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 324 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD). 1 EUR = 364 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Maharagama 7,290 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 1160%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,471 per month in Budapest and $196 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1294% more in Budapest, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Budapest and $20 in Maharagama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $1,647 in Budapest. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.